Chapter 27 - The Hard Truth
"I won't harm you, I promise." He said, slowly moving his hand toward her to indulge her to lower down the knife.
"If I wanted to harm you, I would have already done it." He added, noticing her expression still concerned.
Roselyn lowered down her knife but took a few steps back, watching out for every movement he did.
He smiled at her little progress and talked again, with a smooth calm voice, "I am sharing this with you because I believe I can trust you, I'm putting my life at risk so please don't reveal anyone what I am going to tell you."
Roselyn nodded. She could feel her blood running through her veins and her heart beating fast against her breast.
"There are many supernatural creatures in the human world. I promise you I will keep you safe. You just have to trust me how much I am trusting you by revealing my secret."
Roselyn swallowed the hump in her throat and took a long breath before giving voice to her concerns.
"Do you kill humans to drink their blood?" She asked all in a breath, raising her knife unconsciously, scared by his answer. He chuckled at her question, then nodded. "Usually vampires do, but I don't. I buy meat and have my servants pull the blood off. Sometimes I even ask the butcher to do it for them."
"Ohh, "Roselyn's eyebrow raised when she understood the reason why she saw his carriage stop right in front of the butcher to carry baskets full of meat.
His answer reassured her lightly, having her drop the knife.
"Have you ever ki....." Roselyn tried to ask a question but then she paused, wondering if she truly wanted to know the answer.
After deciding that she didn't need to know as she wouldn't be able to bear a negative answer, she reformulated her question, "how can I trust you?"
"Can I come forward?" he asked, lifting slowly his feet from the ground but she nodded no shaking her head vigorously so he took the step back.
Respecting her decision, he remained where he was and pulled out his jacket's pocket a paper wrapped by a red bow.
"Put it down on the floor," she ordered. He nodded, kneeling, and launched it at her. She bent down to pick it, setting her gaze on him to control every movement.
As soon as she felt comfortable, she opened it. A whole contract was relieved of three pages, where there were written all the clauses involved and requested by both parts, some of them were underlined having Roselyn deduce they shall be the most important ones.
After a quick read to the pages, her gaze fell on the last condition that was not just underlined but also highlighted and written in caps.
"LOVE IS SEVERELY FORBIDDEN BY BOTH SIDES. NO LOVE IS ADMITTED. Sexual entertainment is prohibited unless it involves self-satisfaction or activities with other people."
"Clause number 15," he said, her gaze ran through the pages searching for that condition. Here that was: "both subjects can decide to detract from the agreement at any time and for any reason. If the male subject, King John of Waldburg House, hurts in any way emotional psychical, psychological and etcetera the liable miss Roselyn Clayton she is free to ask and command his imminent death."
She read the last sentence aloud, having him nod. "I gave the same order to my guards already."
He met her gaze, which somehow seemed more secure and less scared.
After few instances, he spoke again: "The ball is in two days, if I will see you there then it will mean you accept all the clauses in the contract. If you won't show up, I will assume you won't accept the agreement and I won't pressure you with questions about the reasons for your discontent."
John stretched his arm toward Roselyn, cocking his head to the side and curving the corner of his lips to form a smile. "Can I accompany you home without you stabbing me now?"
A soft laugh escaped from her lips. Still unsure about his being harmless or not, she took a slow step to reach him. He wrapped his arms around her back. He could feel her fast heartbeat and her lightly trembling.
"I will never harm you. I promise." He whispered in a low voice. "Hold me now." he said. She laid her hands over his and hold the grip when he teleported her in front of her mansion. Strangely, as it seemed in the way he holder her made her feel protected and safe.
"You can leave me now," he said, since she was still holding onto his arms. Hearing his request, she immediately let his arms free, blushing lightly for the embarrassment.
He stood in front of her, offering a gentle smile. All she could see in the darkness were his red eyes. She bowed down before seeing him disappear in the dark.
Roselyn turned the key around to unlock the door and quietly went to reach her room. She could hear the flooring clacking at each step she took. When she entered her room, she closed the door behind, giving a long breath of relief.
She opened the bedside drawer, putting there the contract in the bottom.
Then took off the jacket that she wore and went to put it in the same position so that nobody would understand that it has been worn. She blew off the candle she was carrying to provide herself with some light.. And finally laid down the bed to sleep.